Grocery shopping
Hacer la compra
- Write a grocery list for daily food and drinks.
- Ask a shop assistant about a product in the supermarket.
- Verbs with stem changes: "e → i, e → ie, ..."
Explore common vocabulary for grocery shopping in Spanish, including words like "el supermercado" (supermarket), "el carrito de la compra" (shopping cart), and fresh foods like "la fruta" (fruit) and "el pescado" (fish). Learn to use essential verbs with stem changes like "quiero" (I want), "prefiero" (I prefer), and "pago" (I pay) to confidently navigate your next shopping trip.
Listening and reading
Start this class by listening to the audio and completing the corresponding exercises.
Vocabulary (16) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify these words into two clear categories: some are places related to shopping and others are foods and drinks you can buy.
Lugares para hacer la compra
Alimentos y bebidas comunes
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
La compra
The purchase
2
La caja
The box
3
La lista de la compra
The shopping list
4
El mercado
The market
5
El carrito de la compra
The shopping trolley
Ejercicio 5: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- Describe los artículos en la lista de la compra. (Describe the items on the shopping list.)
- Pregunta al dependiente por la ubicación de los productos. (Ask the shop assistant for the location of the products.)
- Paga tus productos en la caja. (Pay for your products at the checkout.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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¿Dónde está / están ...? Where is / are ...? |
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¿Podrías ayudarme un momento, por favor? Could you help me for a moment, please? |
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¿Me puede dar un recibo? Could I have a receipt? |
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¿Está este producto en oferta? Is this product on sale? |
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¿Puedo pagar en efectivo / con tarjeta? Can I pay in cash / by card? |
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¿Tienes una bolsa? Do you have a bag? |
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¿Es correcto este precio? Is this price correct? |
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¿Puedo ayudarte? Can I help you? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Yo ___ comprar frutas y verduras para la comida.
(I ___ to buy fruits and vegetables for the meal.)2. Tú ___ al supermercado después del trabajo.
(You ___ to the supermarket after work.)3. Él ___ yogur y zumo para la familia.
(He ___ yogurt and juice for the family.)4. Nosotros ___ galletas y carne para la cena.
(We ___ cookies and meat for dinner.)Exercise 8: Doing the shopping at the supermarket
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Querer - Querer
Presente
- yo quiero
- tú quieres
- él/ella/Ud. quiere
- nosotros/nosotras queremos
- vosotros/vosotras queréis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. quieren
Hacer - Hacer
Presente
- yo hago
- tú haces
- él/ella/Ud. hace
- nosotros/nosotras hacemos
- vosotros/vosotras hacéis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. hacen
Necesitar - Necesitar
Presente
- yo necesito
- tú necesitas
- él/ella/Ud. necesita
- nosotros/nosotras necesitamos
- vosotros/vosotras necesitáis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. necesitan
Volver - Volver
Presente
- yo vuelvo
- tú vuelves
- él/ella/Ud. vuelve
- nosotros/nosotras volvemos
- vosotros/vosotras volvéis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. vuelven
Preferir - Preferir
Presente
- yo prefiero
- tú prefieres
- él/ella/Ud. prefiere
- nosotros/nosotras preferimos
- vosotros/vosotras preferís
- ellos/ellas/Uds. prefieren
Pagar - Pagar
Presente
- yo pago
- tú pagas
- él/ella/Ud. paga
- nosotros/nosotras pagamos
- vosotros/vosotras pagáis
- ellos/ellas/Uds. pagan
Exercise 9: Verbos con cambios de raíz: "e → i, e → ie, ..."
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Verbs with stem changes: "e → i, e → ie, ..."
Show translation Show answerscierro, prueba, repiten, sueles, empieza, pide, cuesta
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.20.2 Gramática
Verbos con cambios de raíz: "e → i, e → ie, ..."
Verbs with stem changes: "e → i, e → ie, ..."
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Comprar to buy Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) compro | I buy |
| (tú) compras | You buy |
| (él/ella) compra | he/she buys |
| (nosotros/nosotras) compramos | we buy |
| (vosotros/vosotras) compráis | You buy |
| (ellos/ellas) compran | they buy |
Querer to want Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) quiero | I want |
| (tú) quieres | You want |
| (él/ella) quiere | he/she wants |
| (nosotros/nosotras) queremos | we want |
| (vosotros/vosotras) queréis | You want |
| (ellos/ellas) quieren | they want |
Volver to return Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) vuelvo | I return |
| (tú) vuelves | You return |
| (él/ella) vuelve | he returns/she returns |
| (nosotros/nosotras) volvemos | we return |
| (vosotros/vosotras) volvéis | you return |
| (ellos/ellas) vuelven | they return |
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Lesson Overview: Grocery Shopping in Spanish
This lesson focuses on everyday vocabulary and expressions related to grocery shopping, introducing you to useful words for places like el supermercado (the supermarket) and el mercado (the market), as well as common food items such as la fruta (fruit), el yogur (yogurt), and el pescado (fish). The content is tailored for A1 level learners, providing foundational vocabulary and practical phrases for shopping errands.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- el carrito de la compra: the shopping cart
- la caja: the checkout
- el zumo: juice
- creen frases como: "¿Me puede dar un yogur natural, por favor?" (Can you give me a natural yogurt, please?)
Verb Conjugations: Stem-Changing Verbs in Present Tense
This lesson also introduces stem-changing verbs important for making simple sentences in context. Examples include:
- querer (to want): yo quiero, tú quieres, él/ella quiere
- hacer (to do/make): yo hago, tú haces, él/ella hace
- volver (to return): yo vuelvo, tú vuelves, él/ella vuelve
- preferir (to prefer): yo prefiero, tú prefieres, él/ella prefiere
- pagar (to pay): yo pago, tú pagas, él/ella paga
Practical Use: Sample Dialogue and Mini-Story
The mini-story describes a simple shopping trip, helping you understand usage in context: "Esta tarde, yo quiero ir al supermercado..." (This afternoon, I want to go to the supermarket...). This illustrates how to talk about shopping plans and actions in the present tense.
Useful Phrases Compared to English
Spanish grocery shopping phrases often use polite forms like ¿Me puede dar...? (Can you give me...?), which literally translates as “Can you give me?” but functions as a polite request. Unlike English, Spanish includes gendered nouns (el yogur vs. la fruta) and requires agreement in articles and adjectives.
Note that Spanish verbs often change their stem vowels in the present tense (e.g., preferir → prefiero), which is a key difference from English and important to practice.
Essential Phrases to Use When Shopping
- ¿Dónde está el carrito de la compra? (Where is the shopping cart?)
- Necesito comprar fruta y verdura frescas para la semana. (I need to buy fresh fruit and vegetables for the week.)
- Prefiero el pescado fresco del mercado cercano. (I prefer fresh fish from the nearby market.)
- En la caja suelo pagar con tarjeta. (At the checkout, I usually pay by card.)
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